Burial-casket.



PATENTED MAY 28, v1907.

A. J. MERKELBAGH.

BURIAL GASKET. APPLIOATIONIILED 41111.17. 190s.

awmvmm A TTORNE 1/5 ilk/Z" WITNESSES.

ALBERT J. MERKELBACH, OF OSKALOOSA, IOWA.

BURIAL-CASKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed August 17, 1906. Serial No. 331,065.

To (1. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. MERKEL- BAOH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Burial-Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to burial caskets or coffins and has for its object to provide a strong, durable and comparatively inexpensive device of this character in which the cover and body of the casket are provided with interfitting parts thereby to form a water and air tight closure for the casket.

A further object of the invention is to provide main and auxiliary locking devices for retaining the lid or cover in closed position, one of said locking devices being arranged on the inside of the casket and movable automatically to locked position thereby to prevent ghouls and other persons from obtaining access to the interior of the casket.

A further object is to provide means for locking the automatic fastener in inoperative position so as to permit the removal of the lid or cover without affecting said fastener, and further to provide means for hermetically sealing the casket.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view partly in section of a metallic casket or coflin constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 isa transverse sectional'view exhibiting the main and auxiliary locking devices. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the interior portion of the casket with the lining removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, a portion of the cover being broken away to show the interior construction of the main locking device. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the main locking device detached. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the auxiliary locking device or fastener.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

' The improved casket or coflin is preferably formed of metal and consists of a body portion 5 and a removable lid or cover 6, the body portion 5 being provided with depending hangers 7 for the reception of the rods or handles 8.

Arranged within the casket and secured to the side Walls thereof are longitudinal reinforcing strips 9 to which is secured in any suitable manner the lining 10, each reinforcing strip being provided with a longitudinal V shaped recess 11 in which is seated a metallic plate 12 one end of which is disposed flush with the inner face of the strip 9 while the opposite edge thereof is extended laterally to form a flange 13 and thence bent upon itself to form a similar flange 14 which extends downwardly and merges into the side walls 15 of the casket, as shown, there being an ornamental molding strip 16 engaging the vertical head 17 of the flanges 13 and 14 with its opposite end soldered or otherwise secured to the adjacent side wall 15.

The metal forming the cover 6 is bent inwardly to form a flange 18 which rests on the flange 13 and is bent to form a depending V shaped projection 19 which engages the recess 11 and bears against the plate 12 thus forming a practically air and water tight joint between the cover and the body of the casket.

The rib or projection 19 is filled with Plaster of Paris or other suitable material 20 and interposed between the rib and the plate is a quantity of cement or other suitable adhesive material for hermetically sealing the cover.

The cover 6 is provided with a tube or sleeve 21 in which is mounted for longitudinal movement a bolt 22 one end of which is provided with a terminal finger piece 23 while the opposite end thereof is provided with a laterally extending lug 24 which e11-v gages one of a series of notches or corrugations 25 formed in a boss or projection 26 secured to and depending from the flange 14, there being a coiled spring 27 interposed be tween the shoulder on the bolt and flange 18 for normally holding the bolt in elevated or inoperative position.

Attention is called to the fact that the molding strip 16 forms a casing or housing for the projection 26 and locking lug 24 and also serves as a brace or support for the laterally extending flanges.

Extending laterally from the tube 21 is a bracket 28 to which is rigidly secured, by a screw or similar fastening device 29, a cap 30 in which is mounted an auxiliary looking or fastening device.

The auxiliary fastening device consists of a pair of spring actuated hooks 30 the bills of which are adapted to engage a pair of spaced lugs 31 extending laterally from a plate 32 secured in any suitable manner to the reinforcing strip 9. The hooks 30 are pivotally mounted on the screw 29 and are normally held in expanded or operative po sition by means of springs 33 one end of each of which is seated in a kerf 34 while the opposite end thereof is extended laterally into engagement with the Walls of the cap 30 thus causing the bills of the hooks to yieldably engage the locking lugs 31. The bills of the hook 30 are inclined or beveled as indicated at 35 so that when the cover is positioned on the body portion of the casket the inclined ends of the hooks will ride over the lug 31 until the notches 36 register with said lugs in which event the springs will automatically force the hooks laterally into engagement with the lugs and thereby effectually prevent the removal of the cover of the casket.

Extending laterally from the bracket 28 is a pin or projection 37 Which enters a correspondingly shaped recess 39 formed in the cap 30 so as to prevent lateral movement of said cap.

As a means for locking the hooks 30 in inoperative position thereby to permit the cover 6 to be placed upon or removed from the casket without affecting the auxiliary locking devices there is provided a screw 40 which is threaded in an opening in one of the hooks and engages a corresponding opening 11 formed in the adjacent hook when said hooks are disposed in alinement with each other thus permitting the hooks to pass between the lugs 31 without engaging the same.

In operation when it is desired to lock the cover or lid of the casket in closed position the quantity of cement or other adhesive material is introduced into the V shaped groove and the cover placed inposition on the casket. As the inclined ends of the hooks 30 clear the lugs 31 the springs will cause said hooks to move laterally in engagement with the lugs and thereby automatically lock the cover inposition on the body portion. The finger pieces 23 are then depressed against the action of the coiled spring 27 and said finger pieces given a quarter turn so as to cause the lateral lug 24 to engage one of the notches or corrugations 25 on the projection 26 and thus assist in locking the cover in closed position.

When it is desired to temporarily lock the cover the hooks 30 are drawn together and fastened by means of the screw 40, in which position the cover may be placed upon or removed from the body of the casket without affecting the auxiliary locking device, the cover being temporarily secured in position on the casket by depressing and rotating the bolt 22, in the manner before described.

While the fastening devices and water tight joint are principally designed for use in connection with burial caskets it is obvious that the same may be used with equally good results on coffins, burial vaults, sarcophagi or wherever a device of this character is found desirable.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A casket comprising a body portion pro vided with a marginal groove and having a laterally extended perforated flange, a cover provided with a correspondingly shaped depending rib adapted to engage the groove, and a spring actuated bolt slidably mounted in the cover and provided with a lateral lug passing through the perforation in the flange and adapted to engage the adjacent wall of the body portion for locking the rib in engagement with the groove.

2. A casket comprising a metallic body portion provided with a marginal V shaped groove and having a laterally extended perforated flange, a cover bearing against one side of the flange and provided with a correspondingly shaped depending rib adapted to engage the groove, a plate secured to one side of the flange and having spaced notches formed therein, a spring actuated bolt slidably mounted in the flange and provided with a laterally extending lug passing through said perforation and engaging the notches in the plate for locking the rib in engagement with the groove, lugs secured to the interior walls of the body portion, and an auxiliary locking device carried by the cover and adapted to engage the lugs thereby to assist in locking the cover in closed position.

3. A casket comprising a body portion having its side walls provided with a laterallyextended perforated flange, a cover engaging the body portion, and a spring actuated bolt slidably mounted in the cover and provided with a laterally extending lug passing through the perforation in the flange and adapted to engage the body portion for looking the cover in closed position.

4. A casket comprising a body portion having a laterally extending perforated flange, a projection depending from the flange at said perforation and provided with spaced notches, a cover engaging the flange, and a spring actuated bolt shdably mounted in the cover and having one end thereof provided with a finger piece and its opposite end extended through the perforation in the flange and provided with a laterally extending lug adapted to engage the notches in the projection for locking the cover in closed position.

5. A casket comprising a body portion provided with a laterally extending perforated flange, a cover engaging one side of the flange, a plate secured to the opposite side of the flange and having spaced notches formed therein, a spring actuated locking bolt passing through the perforation in the cover and engaging the notches in the plate for locking the cover in closed position, and a molding strip secured to the flange and side Walls of the body portion, respectively, and forming a housing for one end of the bolt.

6. A casket comprising a body portion, lugs extending laterally from the body portion, a cover adapted to engage the body portion, a cap secured to the cover, laterally movable spring actuated hooks pivotally mounted in the cap and adapted to engage the lugs for locking the cover in closed position, and means for locking the hooks in inoperative position.

7. A casket comprising a body portion, lugs extending laterally from the side walls of the body portion, a cover, spring actuating hooks movable laterally into engagement with the lugs for locking the cover in closed position, and means for looking the hooks in inoperative position.

8. A casket comprising a body portion provided With a laterally extending flange and spaced inwardly extending lugs, a cover provided With a corresponding flange, a bracket secured to the cover, a cap carried by the bracket, spring actuated hooks pivotally mounted in the cap and movable laterally into engagement with the lugs for looking the cover in closed position, and a screw carried by one hook and adapted to engage an opening in the adjacent hook for locking said hooks in inoperative position, the lateral movement of said hooks being limited by engagement With the interior Walls of the cap.

9. A casket comprising a body portion, lugs extending inwardly from the side walls thereof, a bracket secured to the cover and provided with a lateral pin a cap secured to the bracket and having a recess formed therein for the reception of the pin, spring actuated hooks pivotally mounted in the cap and movable laterally into engagement with the lugs for locking the cover in closed position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT J MERKELBACH. 

